game-recap-lynx-vs-storm-8-5-25

Game Recap: Lynx vs. Storm (8/5/25)

top-plays-of-the-day-8-5-2025

Top Plays of the Day, 8/5/2025

SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm today announced the team has acquired 2025 All-Star Brittney Sykes in a trade with the Washington Mystics. In exchange, the Mystics will receive 3x WNBA Champion Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke and one of Seattle’s 2026 first round draft picks.  
Sykes has averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 31.8% from beyond the arc. This season, she received her first All-Star selection, and has four WNBA All-Defensive Team selections, twice to the First Team (2021, 2023) and twice to the Second Team (2020, 2022). In 2021 and 2022, Sykes was the WNBA leader in steals, and in 2017, she received a selection to the WNBA All-Rookie team after averaging 13.9 points and shooting 40.8% from the field.  
Over the course of her two stints in Seattle (2012-2020, 2025), Clark played 300 games, the fifth most in franchise history. She also played a pivotal role in helping the Storm win two WNBA championships (2018, 2020). This season, Clark has averaged 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game. While in Seattle, Clark was just as impactful in the community as she was on the court. She was instrumental in starting the organization’s annual toy drive benefiting Seattle Children’s Hospital.    
Cooke has averaged just over 10 minutes of play per game in 2025 and has been shooting a career-high 38.2% from the three. Cooke was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 draft selected by the Los Angeles Sparks. There, she spent two seasons playing a total of 68 games, averaging 11.9 minutes, 4.3 points and shot 30% from the field. Cooke, a former South Carolina Gamecock, won a national championship with the team in 2022 and was a Third-Team All-American in 2023.

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Seattle Storm Acquire Brittney Sykes

With the WNBA trade deadline on Thursday, August 7 at 3 p.m. ET, now is the time for contending teams to bolster their rosters for the stretch run.
The deadline coincides with the season reaching 70% completion, meaning there will be less than a third of the schedule remaining for teams to secure their playoff position and ready their playoff rotations.
The league-leading Lynx were the first team to make a move on Sunday, acquiring guard/forward DiJonai Carrington – the 2024 Most Improved Player and All-Defensive First Team selection – from Dallas for former No. 2 overall pick Diamond Miller, an injured Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round pick.
The Lynx already own the league’s top defense in terms of opponent points allowed (75.4 ppg), defensive rating (95.1) and opponent effective field goal percentage (46.8%). Now, they add a strong on-ball defender to the mix as they eye the top seed in the playoffs (they currently hold a 5.5-game lead) and pursue a record fifth WNBA title.
With Minnesota setting the tone, how will fellow contenders respond before Thursday’s deadline? We’ll dive into that next week. For now, here’s how the field stacks up this week.
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<h2>1. Minnesota Lynx (24-5) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 1 
This Week: Tue. at SEA, Fri. vs. WAS, Sun. at NYL
While the Lynx are coming off a historic 111-58 win in Las Vegas on Saturday – the 53-point margin of victory is the largest for any road team, the second-largest for any game in WNBA history, a franchise record 17 triples, including eight in the 1st half from Kayla McBride – all eyes are focused on the right ankle of Napheesa Collier. The league’s leading scorer and MVP frontrunner suffered the injury late in the 3rd quarter against the Aces and did not return. No timetable has been set for her return.
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<h2>2. Atlanta Dream (18-11) ⬆️</h2>
Last Week: 3 
This Week: Thur. at CHI, Sun. at PHX
After falling to Golden State in the closing seconds on Tuesday, the Dream won three straight to close the week and have won five of their last six games overall. Allisha Gray leads the WNBA in 3-pointers made (73) and ranks 12th in 3-point percentage (40.8%) for the season. Over the past six games, she’s been on fire, hitting 50% of her triples (17-of-34), while leading five Dream players averaging 12+ points with 19.2 ppg.
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<h2>3. New York Liberty (18-10) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 2 
This Week: Tue. vs. DAL, Fri. at DAL, Sun. vs. MIN
Sunday’s win over Connecticut helped the Liberty snap a four-game losing streak – New York’s longest skid since July 2022. With Breanna Stewart diagnosed with a right knee bone bruise and no timetable for a return, the Liberty added another former Finals MVP to their frontline with 2019 winner Emma Meesseman joining Jonquel Jones (2024) and Stewart (2018, 2020). The defending champs open the week with a home-and-home set with Dallas before hosting the Lynx in the second of four 2024 Finals rematches in the span of three weeks (July 30-Aug. 19).
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<h2>4. Indiana Fever (17-12) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-201377" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-scaled.jpg" alt="Aari McDonald #2 of the Indiana Fever " width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 6 
This Week: Tue. at LAS, Thur. at PHX, Sat. vs. CHI
The title of “hottest team in the league” entering this week belongs to the Fever, who have won five straight games and eight of their last 10. Tomorrow in L.A., the Fever will look to match their longest win streak in a decade as they visit the Sparks seeking a sixth straight W. This streak has come while Caitlin Clark remains sidelined (groin) as Indiana is now 9-7 without the reigning Rookie of the Year this season.
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<h2>5. Phoenix Mercury (17-11) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 4 
This Week: Tue. vs. CON, Thur. vs. IND, Sun. vs. ATL
Behind 25 points from Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas’ league-record 13th career regular season triple-double (10 pts, 10 reb, 10 ast), the Mercury defeated the Sky on Sunday to avoid an 0-3 week. However, Phoenix is just 2-5 of its last seven games following a 9-2 run that had the Mercury in second place in the league at 15-6 in mid-July. Phoenix opens a four-game homestand on Tuesday, looking to build on a 9-4 home record this season compared to 8-7 on the road.
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<h2>6. Seattle Storm (16-13) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 5 
This Week: Tue. vs. MIN, Fri. at LVA, Sun. at LAS
The Storm are just 2-4 since the All-Star break and are coming off back-to-back close losses – a two-point loss to L.A. in a double-overtime thriller despite a season-high 37 points from Nneka Ogwumike, and a four-point loss to red-hot Indiana. Seattle sits in the middle of a crowded pack from No. 2 New York to No. 10 Los Angeles in the standings – the No. 6 Storm are 2.5 games back of the Liberty and 3.0 games up on the Sparks.
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<h2>7. Las Vegas Aces (15-14) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 7 ↔️
This Week: Wed. at GSV, Fri. vs. SEA, Sun. vs. CON
The Aces had a rollercoaster week. They began with a 15-point win over L.A., snapping the Sparks’ five-game win streak behind Jackie Young’s first triple-double and A’ja Wilson’s 34 points. They followed that with the second-largest loss in league history (-53) to Minnesota. Then, they rebounded with a 24-point win over Golden State to close the week 2-1 despite a minus-14 point differential. Despite the up-and-down week, they maintain their hold on the No. 7 spot in the power rankings.
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<h2>8. Golden State Valkyries (14-14) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-201375" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-scaled.jpg" alt="Tiffany Hayes #15 of the Golden State Valkyries" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 10 
This Week: Wed. vs. LVA, Sat. vs. LAS
Sunday’s loss to the Aces snapped a three-game win streak for the Valkyries and was the only thing that kept them from leaping Las Vegas in these rankings. After a 3-1 week, the Valkyries are 14-14 on the season – putting them in contention for the best inaugural season by a WNBA expansion team ever. Only three teams have won more than 14 games – the 1999 Lynx and Miracle each went 15-17, while the 1998 Shock went 17-13. That Shock team is the only expansion team to finish above .500, which is in play for the Valkyries.
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<h2>9. Los Angeles Sparks (12-15) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 8 
This Week: Tue. vs. IND, Thur. vs. CON, Sat. at GSV, Sun. vs. SEA
The Sparks had their five-game win streak snapped by Las Vegas, but bounced back with a double-overtime win over the Storm in one of the top games of the season. Dearica Hamby hit the game-winning layup with 4.3 seconds left, but it was L.A.’s balance with four 20+ point scorers that shined in the win. Leading the way with 27 points was Rickea Jackson, who has had four 20+ point games during L.A.’s current hot streak. After going 6-14 in their first 20 games, the Sparks are 6-1 in their last seven.
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<h2>10. Washington Mystics (13-15) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 9 
This Week: Tue. at CHI, Fri. at MIN, Sun. at DAL
After a 6-2 stretch lifted the Mystics over .500 prior to All-Star, Washington has gone 2-5 in its last seven games and – at No. 9 in the standings – is currently the first team on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. Something to watch down the stretch is how the Mystics fare in close games. They have played in a league-high seven games decided by three points or less, and are 3-4 in those games so far.
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<h2>11. Dallas Wings (8-21) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-201378" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-scaled.jpg" alt="Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings" width="960" height="595" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-300x186.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-768x476.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-1536x952.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-2048x1270.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 12 
This Week: Tue. at NYL, Fri. vs. NYL, Sun. vs. WAS
The Wings have the frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year race in No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers – who not only leads all rookies but ranks in the top 10 in the entire league in points (18.5 ppg, 7th), assists (5.5 apg, 9th) and steals (1.8 spg, 3rd). Now, they add another lottery pick to the roster in 2023 No. 2 pick Diamond Miller from Minnesota in the trade for DiJonai Carrington. Will an expanded role in Dallas help Miller showcase her full potential?
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<h2>12. Chicago Sky (7-21) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 11 
This Week: Tue. vs. WAS, Thur. vs. ATL, Sat. at IND
The Sky have dropped eight straight games – their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight in 2012. Angel Reese (back) has missed five of Chicago’s last seven games as the Sky are now 0-5 without her on the season and 1-10 without her for her career. Chicago will look to end the slide this week with home games against the Mystics and Dream before heading to Indiana on Saturday to face the Fever.
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<h2>13. Connecticut Sun (5-22) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 13 
This Week: Tue. at PHX, Thur. at LAS, Sun. at LVA
Since Marina Mabrey returned to the lineup following the All-Star break, the Sun have gone 2-3 with home wins over the Valkyries and Liberty. Now, the Sun hit the road for four straight games and will look to improve on their 1-11 mark away from Mohegan Sun this season.
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Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.

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2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 9

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Top Plays of the Day, 8/3/2025

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Game Recap: Fever vs. Storm (8/3/25)

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Game Recap: Sparks vs. Storm (8/1/25)

We’re officially two-thirds of the way through the 2025 WNBA season, and the storylines are stacking up. The Sparks have rattled off five straight wins, putting themselves back in the playoff mix, and they just got Cameron Brink back in the lineup. Out East, the Liberty have hit a skid, dropping three in a row, including a high-stakes Finals rematch with the Lynx. And no, I haven’t forgotten about Paige Bueckers. The rookie’s been steady as ever, averaging 18 points and nearly six assists a night over her last four.
Let’s take a look at the latest <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA odds</a> for Finals Winner, give a weekend preview, and I’ll share my WNBA best bets for Friday and Saturday’s slates of games on DraftKings Sportsbook. You can also find more WNBA previews, picks, and daily content on <a href="https://dknetwork.com/?source=WNBAArticlebyMeghan">DraftKings Network.</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=team-futures&amp;subcategory=champion">2025 WNBA Finals Winner</a>
The Favorite: MIN Lynx (+180)
Normally I’d start with the MVP board on DraftKings Sportsbook before moving to Finals odds, but let’s be real: Napheesa Collier (-900) is running away with it. Alyssa Thomas is the closest name at +700, but no one’s touching the reigning Defensive Player of the Year right now. The title race, though? That’s where it gets interesting. The Minnesota Lynx now lead the pack at +180, just ahead of the New York Liberty at +190. These two have owned the top of the standings all season, but Minnesota taking over as the favorite is a new shift. Back on July 11, New York held the edge at +190 with the Lynx behind at +220. So, what changed?
Minnesota’s now 23–5, riding the league’s best record with a five-game cushion over the Liberty. New York’s gone 6–4 in their last ten, but Minnesota? They lead the league in offensive rating (109.1) and defensive rating (95.9). It’s not just Collier — though she did drop 30 in a recent 100–93 win over New York. Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams keep pouring in points, while Collier and Alanna Smith hold it down on defense (Smith’s averaging 2.1 blocks a night). This team isn’t just good — they’re for real.
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WNBA Best Bets and Weekend Preview
LA Sparks at Seattle Storm — Friday, August 1, 10:00 PM ET
Los Angeles finally got Cameron Brink back after she missed nearly a full year recovering from a torn ACL just a month into her rookie season. The 6&#8217;4&#8243; forward out of Stanford played 14 minutes in her return, easing in with five points and three rebounds. On Friday, she and the Sparks face a Seattle Storm team creeping up the standings after winning six of their last 10. Nneka Ogwumike isn’t showing her age — at 35, she’s putting up 17.4 points, 7.1 boards, and just dropped 26 in Seattle’s blowout win over the Sun.
Seattle’s still just 9th in offensive rating (101.7), but defensively they’re elite — second in the league with a 97.7 rating and allowing only 77.6 points per game. LA, meanwhile, saw its five-game win streak snapped by a 34-point barrage from A’ja Wilson on Tuesday and now has to dig in for another tough matchup. Offensively, the Sparks rank 8th, but they’ve struggled to take care of the ball, posting a TOV% of 19.5% —second-worst in the league. Look, I’m thrilled Brink is back. She’s essential to what LA wants to do defensively, but there’s no shot Lynne Roberts unleashes her for heavy minutes just yet. And against a disciplined, defensive-minded Seattle team? Yeah, I’m taking the Storm.
Lean: SEA -5.5
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Nneka Ogwumike Over 16.5 Points (-125)</a>
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Minnesota Lynx at Las Vegas Aces — Saturday, August 2, 3:00 PM ET
What’s better than a showdown between the reigning MVP and the current MVP frontrunner? Maybe a Finals rematch… but we already got that. So next up? Lynx vs. Aces. A’ja Wilson is coming off a monster 34-point, double-double performance in a win over the red-hot Sparks. She was also one of our two Queens of the Court during DraftKings Sportsbook’s July 22 promo <a href="https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/2025/07/22/draftkings-queen-of-the-court-wnba-picks-for-july-22/">(you saw that, right?).</a> Jackie Young has been quietly leveling up too, dropping her first career triple-double in that same win and averaging 17.0 PPG — the second-best mark of her career.
The Aces are riding real momentum heading into Saturday, but this isn’t just any opponent — they’re running into the MVP favorite and the Finals favorite. Minnesota’s defense is no joke, allowing just 76 points per game, anchored by Alanna Smith’s rim protection and Napheesa Collier’s perimeter lockdown work. So here’s the question: can the Lynx contain A’ja Wilson? Because if they can’t, Vegas might just flip the script on the top seed.
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/min-lynx-%40-lv-aces/32593377?category=odds&amp;subcategory=game-lines">PICK: MIN LYNX -6 (-110)</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Paige Bueckers Over 17.5 Points (+100)</a>
After digging into this weekend’s slate, there’s one more pick I’ve got to lock in, and it’s all about Ms. Buckets. Paige Bueckers has been everything the Wings could’ve hoped for in her rookie season: averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 assists, and logging ten 20+ point games already. She became just the 10th rookie to ever start a WNBA All-Star Game, and she’s doing it all efficiently — shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.6% from three, and keeping her turnovers low at just 2.1 per game.
She’s been steady, smart, and adapted well. With that in mind, I’ve got no hesitation backing her to hit over 17.5 points against the Fever on Friday. Give Paige her flowers!
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All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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WNBA Best Bets for August 1: Weekend Preview and Finals Winner Odds

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Game Recap: Storm vs. Sun (7/28/25)

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